I don't know if you are working in a city school district as opposed to a suburban one, but growing up in the early 90s I knew quite a few kids who were obese who regularly walked 3+ miles to school everyday and had a half-hour recess as well as about 30-40 minutes of lunchtime recess in which they engaged in all the physical playground activity (FOUR SQUARE BABY) as the skinny kids.
Still fat.
Lived in low-income households where lack of time to cook due to multiple jobs, and the cheapness and better availability of canned/processed food led to them eating pretty badly.
I'm not denying that more physical activity would benefit our kids, but I think to look at that as the only issue affecting child obesity isn't the right way, either.
I just naturally approach the issue from a city context because I grew up in one. Obviously, most suburban kids are walking a short distance to a bus stop and then sitting cooped up inside most of the day.
So it comes down to a lot of points you have to hit on to help curb the obesity problem in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and so on.
- More mandated physical activity in schools, even if its mandated cardio for the kids who are uncoordinated and hate track and field
- Health classes that can realistically address the need for a more active lifestyle in our modern, tech-y society, instead of teaching some kind of antiquated, 1950s model of "general health"
- More effort from parents to get their fat fucking kids out off the Xbox
- Cities need to plan to get more fresh, affordable sources of produce and meat/poultry in low-income neighbourhoods where fast food is often cheaper and more convenient
Proper nutrition is definitely the responsibility of the parents, and I am eager to heap the blame on many households, but you have to agree that in this America, where both parents work jobs, time is usually a precious resource.
I don't think that it helps that kids are fed shit in a lot of school districts (fried chicken, soft drink machines, 'pizza day' every Wednesday, 'Tasty Cakes' products on sale, etc.
Elementary school is not a testing ground for the freedom of choice. School becomes about choice when you go to college. Until then, as a kid you are subordinate to your school superiors, and if they or the government tell you that they will no longer offer you Tasty Cakes in the caf because your lunch won't be the same as the shit you eat for breakfast/dinner, that's too fucking bad.
